The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-05-06

HISTORY REPEATS. ITSELF.
How r.eonidas Tried to Hold the Pass al
Therinopylas.
Leonidns was prominent editor Of Sparta,
in the sweet long ago.
II IS paper, the Palladium, was noted for its
opposition To the interstate commerce bill of
that period, and when the obnoxious meas
ure became 8 law Leonidas was as hot as q
cook stove
Like the law which is now distracting
the minds Of the people Of the United States
and oVerworldng the commissioners, this an
Gent statute prohibited the issue Of passes
Just before the law began to do its deadly
work Mr.. Xerxes, president Of the Their
mopylse Railway Company issued a circular,
Of which the following is a copy:
form 2g1.1 2-14-2,OOt
THERMOPYLE RAILWAY Co.
OFFICE or Cot. w. H. XERxEs. President,
Locus. AprilS7, 4sO B. C.
Dear Sgr-As you are aware, the interstate
commerce law, which goes into effect on the
sch proximo, forbids under severe penalties
the Issuing Of free passes or the honoring of
those now issued.
You will, therefore, return to the general
Offices Of the Thermopyl@ Railway Company
the annual pass now issued in your name, as
the same will not be available for passage after
the date named.
Regretting the necessity for issuing this cir
cular, beg to remain, yours faithfully,
WILLIAM HENRY XERxEs,
President and Genl Freight and Ticket Agent.
When Leonidas received this intimation he
was even more wroth than when the bill
passed
The pass was young and beautiful one,
with the figures 4S0 in large gilt letters all
over the face, and Leonidas had not exhib-
tied it more than three times to the admiring
gaze of the conductors of the line.
Then again the fishing season was about
to open, and be intended to take run down
into Thessaly county every Saturday after the
paper had gone to press, and indulge in the
pleasant sport Of lazily drowning worms.
He had several other little excursions
planned for the summer, one of which was
tovisit his girl il Ohio.
Leonidas was therefore sorrowful when he
learned that his nice new pass, which was
lust ready to blossom forth into career Of
usefulness, had been cut down in its fresh
young beauty.
Then he made brave resolution.
He resolved not to give it up, but die in it's
defense if necessary.
He died. as the sequel will show.
Colonel xerxes was determined to see the
law enforced, and when Leonidas neglected
TO return the pass at the appointed time,
xerxes sent a postal card to inquire the
wherefore.
Leonidas replied that Xerxes might go to
Halifax, but Xerxes went not.
Halifax was not on his line of road
4 He went for Leonidas instead, having first
called ont the militia to assist in taking the
pass from the angry editor.
The latter levied three hundred Pinkerton
guards. armed with Remington rifles, to de-
Tend the pass.
But it was of no use.
Xerxes captured the precious pasteboard,
but not until Leonidas and all his retainers
bit one had been sent to that land where the
wicked legislators cease from troubling and
the weary editor is at rest.
The man who escaped got back to Sparta
and wrote an account of the fight for the
Palladium, which thus had scoop on its
sontempo
This little incident shows us that there is
Aothing alarmingly original about the inter
state commerce law, for passes were called in
more than 1000 years ago